Sailing Stormy Seas
by d0wntherabb1th0le
Summary: Spencer was quiet for a minute. Softly she whispered, "well you make me happy."


**Hey guys[: it's pretty late right now but I can't sleep and I've had this Spencer/Toby story growing in my head for **_**ages**_** so I figured now was as good a time as any. This takes place right after the spring season finale (by the way, how INSANE was that?) and I hope you like it!**

Disclaimer: As much as I wish I did, I do not own Pretty Little Liars, and have no idea what Miss Sara Shepard has in store for us. (July 5th can't wait for _Twisted_!)

Spencer got home at midnight, shaken to the core. Trudging through the kitchen, she saw her clearly aggravated parents sitting at the counter, Melissa still in the hospital and Ian nowhere to be found.

"Spencer," her dad said, wrapping an arm protectively around a confused Veronica Hastings, as if her own daughter was too dangerous to be around, "we need the truth and we need it now."

Spencer just looked at them, exhaustion seeping out of every pore, turned away and went upstairs. Her parents didn't bother calling after her; she knew they wouldn't believe anything she said anymore.

She clumsily pulled on pajamas and collapsed on her bed, turning off the light. She lay still for a moment, huddled under her covers, when she felt the first wave of terror wash over her.

It hit her so hard she couldn't breathe and was left gasping when it finally subsided. She had expected to feel safe in her cocoon of down and cotton but all she could experience was complete and utter loneliness; she was surrounded by demon-clutching darkness.

Before she could slip into the destruction of total hysteria, she grabbed her phone, her flotation device in a sea so stormy she would surely drown, and dialed the number she knew so well.

"Spencer." He spoke her name as a statement, some sort of reassurance that he had been awake, simply awaiting her frantic call.

Spencer couldn't speak for fear of losing control. She emitted a strangled cry, erupting from the back of her throat and then pressed her lips tightly together so the screams would not escape.

Somehow, he knew what she needed, assuring her, "I'm on my way." And in those four words, Spencer knew she had never needed anyone the way she needed Toby.

She forced herself to think of him to forget about her desperate struggle against the surge of fear that was approaching.

_Toby,_ she thought, _Toby is coming. He'll be here soon. Everything will be okay. He'll make it all better. _She repeated this as a mantra, clutching to it like it was her last hope. Finally her frenetic thoughts eliminated all other words but _Toby, Toby, Toby, Toby, _and she fought violently to stay calm.

All of a sudden she heard a tap against the window and started shaking, her mind racing but her expended body going rigid. She closed her eyes tightly, as the cruel recollections of the eventful night began slashing their way through her brain.

She bit her lip so hard she tasted blood; this agonizing battle of fright was proving to be unbearable. She felt a hand on her shoulder and started aggressively, but she was saturated with relief as her eyes met Toby's.

She unclenched the covers she had unknowingly twisted in her hands and offered him a pained smile, feeling the hot tears that she had been forcing back spill over and trail down her cheeks.

Wordlessly, he kicked his shoes off, and slid under the covers, gathering Spencer in his arms and holding her as close as possible, letting her know he was there and finally she could succumb to the unprecedented terror.

Spencer clutched on to Toby with unadulterated despair and buried her head in his chest as the feral cries exploded from her throat. Her petite body was wracked with the screams and the moans tearing their way out of her mouth, and the sheer agony she was feeling was so raw, so palpable, that Toby felt his heart twisting more and more tightly with each gut-wrenching sob.

She kept pulling him tighter, needing to erase every inch of space between them, shuddering as the flood passed through her.

Finally, the torrent was reduced to a sniffle and Spencer felt the respite spread through her bones. She looked up at Toby with red, swollen eyes and a blotchy, tearstained face, embarrassed at her breakdown.

He met her gaze steadily, for which she was immensely grateful, as she had never shown that side of herself to anyone before. Spencer could deal with others' vulnerability, but she had always felt to the need to be reserved and lock up her own.

She saw apprehension in his eyes but it was combined with such tenderness that all traces of her humiliation immediately vanished.

"Your shirt is soaked." Spencer stated, her voice slightly hoarse.

Toby smiled gently, no longer wary of another collapse, and pressed his lips gently to her forehead, smoothing her dark curls beneath his long fingers. "I have other shirts."

At this Spencer allowed herself to smile one of her classic "Spencer" grins, and nuzzled her head beneath Toby's chin. Listening to the steady beat of his heart, she felt himself melting into his arms, the one place she found eternal solace.

As if reading her mind, Toby spoke, the vibrations from his speech causing Spencer to smile yet again. "You know, when you told me I was your safe place to land today…that was the nicest thing anyone's ever said to me. I've never provided anyone with a sense of security before and I wanted to thank you. I never thought I could make anyone happy."

Spencer was quiet for a minute, letting his quiet gratitude wash over her. Softly she whispered, "Well you make me happy."

That murmur was all Toby needed to hear. Swiftly tilting Spencer's head upwards he captured her lips in a kiss. It wasn't fiery but it wasn't tentative. It was sure and true and confirmed their thoughts that everything about them was just…right.

When at last they pulled away, Spencer reached out and took Toby's hand, their fingers perfectly intertwining. Finally soothed, exhaustion took over, and mumbling Toby's name, she drifted off to sleep.

**Ahh! I hope you liked it. R&R please, constructive criticism is welcome but if flames can be avoided that would be great. More soon, I'm really excited to find out where this story ends up taking me. **

**-Sarah **


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